How to Make a Reef Cement Tank
1) Test aquarium for leaks, install bulkhead fittings,
plumbing, and test for leaks.
2) Cut 1/2" polyurethane foam to fit sides, and a 1/2" strip of foam
for the floor front glass. Make sure all pieces fit correctly
3) Glue foam into place, make sure it's holding good.
Contact cement, or Mod Podge craft glue works well.
4) Give it a day to completely dry, and see that it is
secure in place.
5) Lay heavy black plastic on the floor of the tank,
letting it overlap the foam, and cut around the bulkhead
fittings. You may want to put a little silicone, around
the bulkheads if cement will be in contact with it.
6) Pour a floor of Portland cement being careful not to
allow any Portland cement to bond with the glass (no
acseterator needed or desired)
7) Put plastic or glass over top of aquarium to hold in
humidity and add some water to wet down the cement as soon
as it has become solid. The humidity and moisture is to
prevent cracking and warping. You will want to continue to
keep humidity and moisture high during the rest of the
process. Just don't allow water to get on the glue holding
the foam to the sides, until the foam has been stiffened
up with Portland cement.
8) After setting up, trim excess black plastic.
9) Paint the foam with a very light coat of Portland
cement, not trying to get any real coverage, just
stiffening it up a bit. (no acseterator needed or desired). But
leave about a quarter of an inch where the foam meets the
front glass, and where the foam meets the top rim,
completely uncoated with Portland cement. The bare foam
will quckly become covered with coraline algae, and you
won't be able to see the difference.
10) Paint a second coat the next day
11) Paint a third coat the next day.
12) If there is any foam showing get full coverage. But
leave about a quarter of an inch where the foam meets the
front glass, and where the foam meets the top rim,
completely uncoated with Portland cement. The bare foam
will quckly become covered with coraline algae, and you
won't be able to see the difference.
13) Next day using your hands and gloves, slop some
Portland cement on the sides to thicken it up, but don't
try to get full coverage, and make it structured, not flat.
14) Next day repeat step 13, and get full coverage. You
want to create lot's of surface area, nooks, and crannies,
(no acseterator needed)
15) Next day, using acseterator and toilet paper, make caves, and
overhangs, working around different areas until the
earlier places are set up enough to add some more. You will probably need to take more than one day to do this step.
To help give the cement more body, mix toilet paper in. Mix it in to the consistency of tuna fish salad.
In the next chapter we will discuss step (16) which is
"Set up your own brewery in your new tank" :-)
Chapter 2. Set up your own brewery in your new tank
16) Fill the tank with water, and add sugar and active dry
yeast. You can also add some baking soda to buffer the pH.
Run a pump to keep the water moving around the portland
cement.
Now when you get near the tank it will smell like fresh
baked bread.
17) When fragrant smell of baked bread decreases add more
sugar.
18) Eventually after several days it will begin to smell a
bit less than fresh.
When that happens, empty the tank, and make a few water
changes, and then fill with water and monitor the pH for a
couple days.
19) If the pH is 8.3 or lower, then the tank is ready for
salt water.
P.S. Don't drink the water :-)
Video
Now that you have read the instructions, watch the step by step narrated video.
Wayne Sallee
Wayne@WayneSallee.com
|
|
